Brian McHattie

Brian McHattie

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The west Hamilton councillor is introducing a motion next week to create a “one-way to two-way street implementation team” to map out the conversion of the downtown’s one-way streets to two-way traffic.

McHattie’s motion also introducess the possibility of setting aside cash in the 2013 budget for conversions on Cannon and Queen streets.

“Increasingly, there appears to be a strong convergence of public opinion in Hamilton in favour of one-way street conversion to benefit adjacent retail businesses, slow traffic, improve pedestrian movements, and generally increase livability in neighbourhoods, especially in downtown Hamilton,” it reads.

McHattie proposes the implementation team should be made up of the Ward 1 and 2 councillors and public works staff. He also suggests public consultations with neighbourhood associations, residents, Business Improvement Areas and other city councillors.

The city’s downtown transportation master plan, created in 2001 and updated in 2008, identified several streets for two-way conversion: York Boulevard/Wilson Street, Park, MacNab, Hughson, Hess, King William, Rebecca and Caroline.

The plan initially called for all of these streets to be two-ways by 2006. When it was updated in 2008, no new target dates were set.

Since then, only York/Wilson, Hess and Caroline have been completed.

McHattie could not be reached for comment. However, Councillor Jason Farr, who is seconding the motion, says it’s been a long time coming.

“Brian and I have been working on this for two or three months now officially, but talking about it for quite awhile,” said Farr.

He says he’s optimistic that his council colleagues will support the motion.

“I think there are a lot of folks who understand. I think they also appreciate the successes conversions have brought,” he said.

Ryan McGreal, whose blog, Raise the Hammer, has long advocated for two-way street conversions, says he’s excited to see Farr and McHattie get the ball rolling.

“They are experiencing and observing and hearing first-hand about how it affects people’s quality of life, how it affects business, how if affects safety,” he said. “This gets the conversation started.”